


pumpkin cheesecake

by aglionbi



Category: Voltron - Fandom, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), College!AU, First Kiss, Fluff, Gay Keith (Voltron), Happy Ending, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, Mutual Pining, Possible Injuries, Rival Relationship, SO MUCH FLUFF, Slow Burn, Snow, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Space Dad Shiro (Voltron), Voltron, altea, and many more to come - Freeform, constellation marks, during season five, galra - Freeform, ho my god i cant tag, i'm SOFT, klance, lance needs to stop showing off, slight angst but don't worry it'll be a happy ending, so is lance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-23 15:00:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13790172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aglionbi/pseuds/aglionbi
Summary: Two bickering boys thrown into snow sports. Let the chaos commence!





	1. Trial and Error

**Author's Note:**

> here's to hoping the anxiety i got from writing this pays off

Lance was lounging on the couch in his shared dorm, device in hand, when the door suddenly burst open with a slam. He jumped, fumbling with his phone as he had nearly dropped it at the sudden intrusion. He pulled himself together and stood up, tucking the phone into his back pocket before crossing his arms across his chest and scowling slightly, chin jutting out, lip curling from being disturbed. When he saw who was in the doorway he relaxed immediately, and a smile lit up his face when he saw his best friend Hunk Garrett standing in the doorway, two bags in his hands and a wide grin on his own tan, round face. Lance shot himself at the bear-like human in the doorway, long legs wrapping around him and arms nearly choking him.

“Huuuuunk!” Lance crowed, and rested his head on said friend’s shoulder, batting his eyelashes up at him angelically. “Did you bring me any cookies? Cake?” He pleaded, poking his friend in the neck. Hunk scoffed and pulled Lance off of him, setting him down.

“What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t? Let me unpack and then I’ll give it to you. It’s pumpkin cheesecake, your favorite,” was the reply as Hunk dropped his luggage on the untouched twin bed next to Lance’s. He sat on the edge of the bed and stretched out before digging into the smaller duffel and pulling out a box. Lance was quick to grab it and started on the slice that rested in it before freezing, looking up at his best friend with a sly grin.

“So, how was Shay?” He asked coyly, taking his time with his first bite. He refrained from laughing when he saw Hunk’s face flush and couldn’t help but glance at his shoulder where the start of a constellation was forming. He ignored the sad pang in his chest and forged a warm smile. “You really are soulmates, aren’t you?” He continued to munch on the cheesecake, keeping his eyes trained on Hunk’s face, and trying his best to ignore the sad lonely star that was inked into his own shoulder.

Hunk noticed Lance’s growing sadness and put a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, don’t be upset. You still have that guy at Galra. What was his name… Keith?” Hunk smiles at Lance, who immediately straightened and shrugged off his hand, face flushing a rose color.

“I- I don’t like Keith! He’s my rival!” Lance sputtered, his eyes widening, heart pounding a marathon in his chest. Hunk laughed at his expression, knowing perfectly well he didn’t mean that.

“Sure, sure. Get back to me about that when you decide to stop wallowing in denial. I’m gonna go check up on Pidge. I brought her peanut butter cookies.” Hunk got up and headed for the door. Before he stepped out, he turned back to Lance. “Don’t read too much into the whole soulmate thing. Yours will come along eventually. Just be patient.” With that, he left. Lance groaned and flopped backwards on his bed, pumpkin cheesecake forgotten.

————————————

Keith Kogane was angry. Well, really, when was he not? This time was a bit different though. His brother Shiro had completely left him at the top of the slope, already zooming down the hill to catch up with his best friend Matt. He barely knew this slope, since he was only acquainted with the one he had at the academy, and felt like the ride down was going to be a painful process. Attaching the left side of his snowboard to his boot, he took a breath and began his journey, making swift swerves to avoid any rookies and slow people that were in his way. He felt himself relax as he took the Black Diamond course, and let the steepness of the mountain choose his speed. He was just getting into the flow of things when a sharp yell resonated behind him, and the next thing he knew, he was eating snow. He groaned and tried to push himself up, but the weight on top of him didn’t budge. He collapsed back into the snow and tilted his head to the side so that he could see who was sprawled on him, but the only thing he glimpsed were a pair of skis jutting out.

“Can you read signs? This is a black diamond. The hardest course there is. It’s not made for rookies like you,” he growled, trying to get up again to no avail. The body on top off him shifted, and a face filled his periphery. Sapphire blue eyes, tousled chocolate hair and a sweet face all twisted with worry clouded his better judgment of the situation. Keith swallowed and his anger ebbed away slightly until he realised that it was the face of his supposed rival, Lance McClain. He shoved upwards with all his strength and smirked inwardly at the yelp that followed as Lance went tumbling off him. Keith got up and brushed himself off, scoffing in Lance’s direction, who was already up and leaning against his poles.

“I’ll have you know, I’m on the Voltron ski team. From Altea University. You should know what that is - it’s the best school around,” Lance straightened and grinned cockily, still not realising who he was talking to. Keith crossed his arms, an unimpressed look etched on his face.

“Right. Last I heard, that was Galra Academy. Known for their snowboarding team. That I just happen to be on.”

Lance’s eyes snapped open and focused on Keith, and when he realised who he was talking to, he sputtered indignantly, nearly tipping over. He righted himself and scowled, jaw clenching, and moved closer. Keith could’ve sworn that he saw a faint blush on the taller boy’s cheeks, but passed it off as the cold, not reading too much into it. He uncrossed his arms and rested his hands on his hips, accommodating a pose all too familiar to Lance.

“Listen,” Keith started, but before he could finish, Lance cut him off.

“Stay out of your way. Got it.” And with that, the now flustered skier continued his way down the hill, snow picking up in a flurry behind him. Keith frowned as he watched him speed off, but shook the thought out of his head and continued on with his runs.

————————————

Lance couldn’t stop thinking about the slope incident. As much as the two spat at each other, he was secretly glad it happened. He relished the idea that for a split second, he was lying on top of Keith-

Lance groaned and shook his head. As much as he wanted to find his soulmate, he wanted to be with Keith too. He was too deep in his thoughts to realise that there was another star forming on his shoulder.

————————————

Keith couldn’t stop thinking about the slope incident. His supposed nemesis with flushed cheeks and bright eyes standing in front of him was a sight he couldn’t get out of his head. Especially that split second when he was worried…

Keith felt a sudden prick on his shoulder and jumped, not familiar with the telltale feel of a soulmate marking. He pulled his shirt off at the shoulder and watched as a midnight blue star etched itself into his skin, connecting to the normal black star that everyone was born with. He closed his eyes and slumped over. This was a disaster just waiting to happen.


	2. Breathe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is dedicated to PrettyYoungThing. Thank you for being my inspiration, love.
> 
>  
> 
> there will be mild language in this chapter.

“I don’t want to.” 

“Keith, please, just one coffee.”

_“No.”_

“Lance is gonna be there.” 

“That’s even worse, Pidge.”

“I got you new motorcycle gloves?” 

“....Fine.” 

Keith hung up the phone and sighed, rubbing his hand against his face before harshly tugging his fingers through his ever growing mullet. He was tired, so tired, with the stress of classes bearing down on him. In his free time he moped over his soul marks, wondering who could have possibly done something to add on to his constellation, but always drew a blank, and in the end his pure frustration made him give up. With another heavy sigh, he hauled himself off his couch, grabbed his red jacket, and headed for the coffee shop across the street. As he went through the small doorway, stooping slightly so that he didn’t bang his forehead, his immediate reaction to the area was _Altea_. All around him, students from Altea were crowding tables, chattering away about the new semester, schedules, and gossip of any upcoming parties. He tensed up as he made his way through clustered groups, trying to spot tiny Pidge among the crowd, until his eyes finally landed on a small figure decked in green. He leaned over her shoulder and pet her chaotic hair gently.

“Hey, Holt.” 

Pidge looked up and broke into an easy going grin, pushing her askew glasses up her nose.

“Keith! You came! Sit, sit,” she gestured to the only available chair next to her. Keith looked over to her right, and refrained from grimacing. There sat Lance, occupied with a bear-like guy next to him, his face lit up with his usual grin and his hands gesturing all over the place, only barely avoiding the people around him. A coffee cup was settled in front of him, untouched, and half way full. He was so wild in that moment, and Keith’s breath caught in his chest from this new side of Lance, this raw Lance that didn’t have a frown on his pretty face or the dull look in his sapphire eyes that he got when he was competing against Keith. He knew the moment was short lived when Lance looked up from his conversation and spotted him, and his heart sank slightly when he saw Lance’s brow furrow slightly. However, a split second later he smiled tentatively, and something in Keith sputtered like the motor on his old bike. So he took a seat, put on his best smile, and dove into conversation.

 

_____________________

 

Lance was silently in shock. Sitting right across from him was Keith, mullet awry and cheeks rosy from the biting cold of Vermont’s winter. It took all of his strength to refrain from reaching out and fixing the lock of hair that fell in Keith’s eyes, and he cleared his throat, turning away from the raven and focusing in on Hunk. This was done to no avail - the taller boy was now focused on Keith, grinning and introducing himself. Lance ran his fingers through his hair.

“I’m gonna get something to eat,” he muttered mainly to himself, and stood up, his height and agility allowing him to weave in between people. He placed himself at the end of the line, silently making a quick prayer that the line would progress quickly. After a minute, Lance sensed someone next to him, and turned to face the person. Keith was standing next to him, not looking at him, but focusing on the large chalkboard in front of them, reading off the list to himself. After a good minute, Keith glanced over.

“Do you know what you’re ordering?”

Lance made a show of picking what he wanted, but he already knew what his heart - or stomach - desired. “Pumpkin cheesecake,” was his swift reply, and he could already taste the grainy sweet crust on his tongue. He looked over at the shorter boy. “You?”

 

He was answered with a laugh of slight disbelief.

 

“That was my pick, too,” Keith smiled at him softly. Lance’s mouth went dry, and all he could do was nod, turning away so that he wouldn’t disintegrate from Keith’s gaze. He felt irrational anger course through him. Why did this boy have to be so adorable? How did he manage to make a mullet look so good? Lance sighed. _This just wasn’t fair. His feelings weren’t fair. Nothing was-_

Lance felt a scratching feeling on his shoulder, and he froze. He could feel the star take shape, and he held his breath during the process. He glanced around, trying to see the people in the line, but no one stood out to him. He refrained from frowning, and turned back to the line, realising that it was their turn to order. The girl behind the counter smiled at them, her white hair a stark contrast with her tan skin.

“Lance, how’s it going?” Her voice was a melodic sound with a british accent rounding her vowels.  Lance smiled brightly, but it felt forced.

“Hey Allura. Can I get a-”

“-slice of pumpkin cheesecake, already on it.” Allura busied herself before turning to face Keith. “Well, well, if it isn’t the top snowboarder of Galra. How’s it going, Keith?”

The mentioned raven flushed slightly. “It’s all good, ‘Lura. Can I also have a pumpkin cheesecake?”

 

Lance whipped around to glare at Keith, feelings forgotten as he frowned. “ _‘Lura?_ Who gave you the right…” The look on Keith’s face shut him up, but his frown still remained. Keith shook his head, exasperated with Lance’s sheer ignorance. 

“Allura is one third of my brother’s dynamic trio. It’s her, Shiro, and Matt, Pidge’s brother. They’re inseparable.” Keith shrugged. “They’ve been friends for so long. I basically grew up with them in our house. I don’t really remember a time when they haven’t been around…” Keith trailed off, noticing that Allura had returned with their food. Lance smiled at him as he picked up his plate.

 “That’s like me, Pidge and Hunk. Since we were five we’ve been together.” Lance pulled out his wallet and handed Allura enough money to pay for both of them. Keith frowned and started to protest but Lance shot him a look that shut him up.

“I wish I had friends like that. I only ever really knew Pidge, and had a couple of friends here and there, but never a tight group. Must be nice,’’ Keith murmured as the duo made their way back to their table. Lance was already starting on his slice, humming to himself with each bite. The Cuban boy paused and turned to Keith. 

“There’s a rave going down on neutral ground,” he said, referring to the large, almost mansion-like house that rested on the field just a couple miles away from both universities. “Maybe you can meet that group there.”

Keith scoffed. “I’d prefer to be in a group of people that aren't constantly on drugs.” When he saw Lance’s look of disappointment, he sighed. “Fine. But what do I wear?”

 

The smile that lit up Lance’s face was blinding.

 

_____________________

 

Keith found himself wondering what he was doing sitting in front of Lance’s vanity in a small room that was currently being occupied by seven people. After discovering that everyone in their friend group was going to the rave, Lance immediately appointed himself as the official makeup artist, and at eight o’clock sharp, they all found themselves in his shared dorm.  Pidge and Matt were already decked out in glow sticks, and Pidge managed to get her hands on neon tape that she used to decorate hers and Matt’s face. They looked identical in their outfits despite Matt’s towering height. Shiro was currently having random swirls and shapes painted on his prosthetic and face by Hunk, and Keith… well, Keith was being fussed over by Lance and Allura. Glow sticks that were the colors of the rainbow adorned his bare arms, and Allura was in the process of painting his face in bizarre shapes. Lance was standing behind him, messing up his hair, causing Keith to growl in annoyance as his mullet was toyed with.

“ _Lance._ ”

The Cuban boy was too concentrated on the task at hand to pay attention to what Keith was saying.

“Lance!”

Lance jumped, the hairspray bottle he held in is hand suddenly spraying. He coughed and waved the air around him, setting it down.

 “Sorry. I’m trying to fix you hair-” 

Keith pulled away from him, trying his best not to mess up Allura.

“Leave it alone. It’s fine.”

“But-”

“Leave. It.”

Lance made a face at him and turned away, glancing at himself in the mirror before he did so. Keith refrained from rolling his eyes. Even now he was obsessed with making sure everything was perfect. His dark hair was tousled and styled into a semi-wild look, his blue eyes were thinly lined with eyeliner. He had neon paint that was painted in flame patterns going from his bicep to his fingertips, and his neck had the same pattern, too. One single blue glow stick was nestled in his hair, probably held in place by hidden bobby pins. Lance was the pure image of someone who liked to party all night, and Keith was beginning to fear what Lance would be like drunk. Before he had the chance to ask, Allura set down her brushes.

“Done! Get up, Keith.”

Keith got off the chair obligingly, inspecting himself in the mirror beforehand. Red patterns marked his cheeks and neck, and he felt like a tribal warrior. He didn’t bother to say that though, or Allura might kill him. 

“Thanks, ‘Lura. It looks… good.” He smiled at her and went over to Shiro, who was standing to the side and talking to Matt. “Are you sure this is a good idea? There might be a lot of Alteans there, and they don’t exactly like us.” 

Shiro placed his hand on Keith’s shoulder reassuringly. “Breathe. It’ll be fine, just stick with Pidge and her friends.” Keith sighed, nodded, and turned to face the group.

“Since we’re all wearing exposing things, how are we getting there in this cold?”

_____________________

 

He shouldn’t have asked. They all ended up running to the minivan in the biting cold, yelping when winds picked up. Now as they were all settled in their seats with Pidge bouncing in Hunk’s lap, heater full blast, and Lance crooning to some ABBA song on the radio. Matt parked the car and once again they raced out and into the warm house that was already pulsing with bright lights and music. Walking in, they were immediately absorbed into the crowd, and Keith felt slight paranoia build up before he relaxed. He looked over at Lance, who was bouncing with some girl and mouthing the words of whatever song was currently playing. Keith noticed that he had a shot glass in his hand, the liquid sloshing dangerously, threatening to spill over. Before Keith could yell at Lance that he should be careful, Lance tipped it back and downed it in a second. He grinned and handed the girl his glass, stumbling over to Keith. Keith took in the broken glow stick in his hair and the bright liquid that was seeping through, making it seem like he had neon highlights.

“You look like a fool!” He shouted at Lance over the music. Keith was rewarded with a bitter scowl.

“And you look like you don’t know how to have a good time, Kogane. Loosen up!”

Keith opened his mouth to reply but Matt stumbled over, and his first thought was _wow, he’s fucking wasted._ Matt was giggling and reached up to pet Lance’s glowing hair, his fingers coming away coated in the toxic liquid.

“Preettyyyy,” he whispered, and was about to bring his fingers to his mouth to taste it when in the distance, Keith heard Shiro shout “MATT NO.” The wasted Holt dropped his fingers and smeared them on Keith’s cheek, leaving streaks of blue before turning and disappearing into the crowd. Lance grabbed Keith’s wrist forcefully and pulled him to the bar.

“Come on, you need a drink.”

 

_____________________

 

Lance’s mind was so muddled, and he was vaguely aware that Keith was scowling. He didn’t have time for the raven’s bullshit though, and shoved a shot of vodka into his hand. 

“Drink,” he ordered, and turned around to scan the crowd for his friends. He spotted Pidge sitting on Shiro’s shoulders, swaying to the music that was blaring through the speakers. Lance spun back around to face Keith who now held an empty glass. He grinned and took it from him, setting it down on the counter. “We should dance!” He shouted, taking hold of Keith’s wrist again and dragging him into the crowd, ignoring any sounds of protest. When he finally found a desired spot, he dropped his hold on the shorter boy’s wrist, already bouncing to the song that was playing, eyes screwed shut and a smile on his face. Lance opened one eye and saw the wince on Keith’s face. 

“Relax, Kogane. Just dance.”

 “I can’t relax when you’re such a shitty dancer!”

Lance leaned in, pressing his cheek against Keith’s. He was dimly aware that the blue liquid on the raven’s cheek was imprinting on his, but he didn’t mind.

“Breathe.”

He felt Keith swallow, and it wasn't long before the two were just another pair of limbs in a crowd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aghh this chapter was a process!!!! sorry that these two dorks are so oblivious. what did you guys think of season 5? it stressed me out honestly, but it was pretty great too. hope y'all enjoyed this chapter!


	3. Dog Days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hEY GANG  
> chapter three is hereeee and honestly i'd like to personally thank the bands that motivated me to write this chapter at five in the morning on the way to school
> 
> check them out if you never heard of them! - Muse, Weezer, and Nothing But Thieves
> 
> also big thanks to Ray and my love Bailey for letting me use their names for the professors  
> you can check out their voltron instagrams here - @lanceisaluxury and @vol.tron.klance  
> feel free to check mine out as well! @daddyshiiro

Lance woke up with a piercing headache. He felt gross - last night’s rave was a blast, but he drank too much, danced too much, and every part of his body was screaming. Not in pain or anything, just screaming. He couldn’t remember the last time he partied that hard. His memories were murky, his tongue heavy in his mouth, and he remembered bits and pieces of strobe lights, wet hair, and a raven boy dancing awkwardly next to him. He couldn’t place a face, as the remnants of booze and maybe some drugs were still in his blood, and he was disappointed with himself for not remembering anymore than that. Maybe another time. Hopefully another time.

He noted he was shirtless, stripped down to just a pair of blue striped boxers, and paint was flaking off his skin. He grimaced, already knowing that he’d have to change his sheets. He probably sweated off half of the paint onto his sheets, and that stuff was always a bitch to clean out. Hunk’s bed was empty already, pristinly made, and Lance was filled with dread. On weekends, Hunk normally slept in. His stomach took an unpleasant twist when the realisation hit him. He had a class right now, and it was already seven in the morning. He had a good half hour to get ready. 

Scrambling out of his bed, Lance flung himself into the bathroom with an arm full of clothes. He scanned himself in the mirror briefly while reaching to fiddle with the knobs of the crappy shower, but froze when he glimpsed at his soulmate marks. His mouth went dry, and he dropped the clothes in his arms promptly. He turned his back to the mirror, glancing over his shoulder. There, proudly displayed on his shoulder, was a dark red constellation. Blooming outwards from the normal dark star that everyone came with were small and big stars, all connected by red lines, forming Scorpius, with a detailed drawing over the constellation to make it more evident. Lance was suddenly overwhelmed with emotions and he choked out a sob, his hand reaching up and running his fingers over the raised flesh. Only a week ago he’s been upset over not having anything, and now….

His head and heart hurt from the thought of it.

Lance took a deep breath and stripped down, sliding into the shower and gladly taking in the hot water that beat down on him. He scrubbed his skin and hair thuroughly, watching the different colors bleed off of him in a diluted swirl towards the drain. After a couple of minutes he forced himself out of the shower, wrapping himself in a fluffy towel as he started with his face care routine, trying his best to speed up the process as he began to get dressed simultaneously. His hair was still tousled and half dry, but it wasn’t a bad look, so he left it how it was. Now with his bag hanging from one shoulder and his hand clenching a five dollar bill for some cheap breakfast, he headed out of his shared room, ID swinging around his neck and a look of sheer exhaustion painted on his face. His first class of the semester was Criminology, and he knew that Professor Andera was going to ramble about profiling for half of the year. 

______________________________

 

Keith was so, so tired. He ended up drinking more than any of his friends, and he felt the agony of his hangover in every muscle of his body. Luckily he was still alive enough last night to clean himself before bed, but even being freshened up didn’t stop the headache that pulsed in his head. Exhaustion was inevitable as he dragged himself out of bed and forced himself into his small bathroom, brushing his teeth sloppily and half brushing his hair. He didn’t care at this point if his hair looked like a rat’s nest, he just cared about getting to his next class on time. Pulling off his shirt so that he could change into a fresh pair of clothes, his heart sputtered when he saw the blue constellation on his shoulder. Right there on his skin was the Leo constellation, a vibrant blue hue. He stared at it for a good minute, tracing it in shock. He snapped out of his daze, rubbing his eyes. He had no memory of last night, and irrational anger filled him. He wanted to know so badly who was the cause for his soulmarks. He spent the rest of his morning getting ready in frustration, and eventually stormed out of his dorm, trudging through a couple inches of snow as he made his way to the Galran coffee shop.

Walking in, Keith was greeted by a majority of his teammates, high fiving some of them and doing complicated handshakes with others. Shiro and Matt were both wearing their snowboarding jerseys, looking equally as tired as Keith felt. At least he didn’t have to suffer through his hangover alone. As he reached them, Shiro looked up, smiling and pushing a muffin and a coffee cup into the seat that Keith usually acquired. The three of them had a silent dynamic - who sat where, which table they sat at, and they all knew each others preferred breakfast by heart, just in case one of them slept in. Shiro was leaning into Matt, who was slouched over his empty coffee cup, yawning every two seconds. They sat so close together that Keith sometimes wondered if they were both gay, but he knew that Shiro was the straightest person out there and Matt was in love with his computer. Years of friendship just made them so comfortable with each other that it got weird for outsiders.

"Wake up,” Keith yawned out, dropping himself on his chair. He tore a chunk of the muffin off and popped it into his mouth, chewing and silently thanking whoever invented muffins. The sweet tang of blueberry and orange zest awakened a majority of his senses. He chased the bite down with a sip of his coffee and immediately relaxed, the caffeine coursing through him. Maybe he’ll be able to survive his first day of classes.

Shiro slouched even more. “I can’t wake up when I feel like someone drove a hot nail through various parts of my body. We ran out of advil, too.” At this, Matt groaned in pain.

Keith refrained from laughing because he, for one, was a good brother.

“I have advil in my bag. You probably don’t need it though. You seem fine.” So much for being a good brother. He relished the expression on Shiro’s face, and the near identical one on Matt’s.

“Keith. Give us the advil,” Matt croaked out, reaching out weakly. Keith shook his head.

“No can do. I only have half a bottle left.”

"Half- KEITH.” Shiro sounded so agitated in that moment, and Keith smirked. “Keith, please, little brother. I feel like I’m dying.”

At this, Keith scoffed. “Yeah, bro, so do I. You don’t see me whining about it.” However, he pulled out the advil from his bag and started handing it to Shiro. Matt reached for it greedily, but at last second Keith jerked his hand back, and Matt toppled off his chair with an undignified yelp. Keith burst out laughing, nearly tipping off the stool himself as he held his sides.

“Sorry, sorry, I had to.” He slid the advil across the table. “Knock yourselves out.”

Shiro helped Matt up and shook some gel caps out, downing them with his coffee. He slumped over.

“You’re such an asshole. I hope your first class sucks.”

Keith laughed dryly.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

______________________________

 

As much as Lance hated mornings, he enjoyed them because it meant he could enjoy Hunk’s contribution to Altea Cafe. The campuses coffee shop was nestled right next to Lance’s first class, and he immediately relaxed, knowing that his mornings would be so much easier from now on. He strolled in, nodding at some familiar faces as he approached Allura, who was working an early shift before her own classes started. The British beauty didn’t even have to look up to know it was Lance.

“One caramel latte and a cream cheese bagel coming right up, Lance.”

He smiled gratefully. “Thanks. Are you ready for your first day of classes?”

At this, Allura winced. “Not at all. I’m so tired from last night.” Although Allura was the only one from the group that didn’t drink, she also suffered from staying up until three in the morning. None of them got that much sleep. Lance sighed, and reached across the counter, squeezing her hand reassuringly.

“You’ll be great. We have practice later, right?”

Allura nodded with a smile. “Yeah, we’ll be meeting up here at six. Plenty of time for you to get a nap in before we start. Don’t be late,” she warned, knowing all too well that if Lance took a nap, he’d be late to the first meeting of the season. Lance winced at this.

“I won’t. Promise.”

He paid for his food, making his way to the window seat where Pidge was already seated. She was yawning into her food while peering at her computer. At this sight, Lance rolled his eyes.

“Pidge. It’s 7:15. Why are you already nose deep in your computer?” 

The younger Holt looked up, peering at Lance over her glasses. “Because some of us have early classes and try to spend their break time cramming in work. Why do you look like death?”

Lance shrugged and sat down next to her, petting her hair as he did. It was his normal greeting to her, and she gave up on complaining after a week.

“Hung over. You left early, but a majority of us stayed until like, three in the morning. I’m exhausted.” He bit into his bagel, humming in appreciation for Hunks delicious bread. He sipped on his latte slowly, savouring the caramel that melted on his tongue. He let out another hum, but was interrupted when Pidge smacked him against the back of his head. The motion made him choke on his mouthful and he turned to the side, hacking and coughing.

“P-Pidge!” He sputtered indignantly, rubbing his throat. The mentioned girl giggled.

“Your humming is annoying. Cut it out.” She resumed with her laptop, promptly ignoring Lance’s dog-like pout.

“You’re so _rude_. Who hurt you?” he muttered, although he knew nothing has happened to her. Pidge merely laughed, and Lance knew she was a dead end. He got up and threw away the remains of his breakfast, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “I’m gonna go to class. I’ll catch you later?”

The smaller girl nodded. “For sure. Go be the scholar you always claim you are.” The warm smile on her face was a whole different story, and Lance hugged her shoulders before leaving, waving at Allura as he did. 

The brunet made his way to the building that was nestled right next to the coffee shop, scanning his ID to get into the old monstrous brick abode. He used a majority of his strength to shove the large wooden doors open, silently grumbling to himself as to why they can’t use more modern, lightweight doors. He raced up the stairs that spiralled to the third floor, occasionally stopping to take in the artsy posters for fraternities and clubs that decorated the walls. The vivid colours and ridiculous jokes that took up the wall made him choke on his laughter, and for a second he felt so _normal_ . His eyes trailed down, landing on a flyer that stood out from the other ones. " _ARE YOU LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE YOU FORGET ABOUT YOUR SOULMATE?”_ Lance knew it was a joke, but he scowled at it anyway, and his laughter ceased to exist. He grabbed the flyer and tore it up, muttering to himself about how incompetent people can be. Pulling his attention away from the wall, his heart now sitting heavily in his chest, Lance shoved the shredded flyer into a nearby trash can, pushing the ever slipping strap of his bag back up his shoulder. His mood was soiled, and a part of him silently hoped that he wouldn’t be like this all day. His anger tended to blind his focus on what was important, and he leaned against the closest wall, squeezing his eyes closed and taking deep breaths. He tried to steady himself, tried to diminish the dizziness that was setting into his mind, and wished for a split second that soulmates weren’t a thing. He felt so angry that he was suffering with not knowing who his lover was while others around him knew where they belonged. Pidge was constantly emailing her soulmate. Hunk was dating his. Allura had multiple constellations and Shiro was Matt’s platonic soulmate. They were so close that even though both weren’t attracted to each other in that sense, they were paired. Those two took the meaning of “best friends forever” to the literal sense. And all of this, all of this love around Lance made him feel left out. He felt so far away from his friends who were all happy while he was still looking for his love. At this point, he was secluded from the people he knew, and they didn’t even notice.

With a profound slouch in his shoulders and his mouth curved down in a pout, Lance made his way to his class, brushing off the professor’s pleasant smile and slumping into a seat in the back, his mind already wandering off as Andera started on the syllabus.

______________________________

 

Man, Keith really hated going to class. Shiro always said that his hate for class was because he wasn’t capable of sitting still, but it was much more than that. Keith didn’t like being _inside_ , and that was a different story from what Shiro always told him. He likes to spend his time outside, snowboarding, skateboarding, and when summer in Vermont pulled around, surfing. He couldn’t stand being cooped up in a classroom with other people, sitting around and listening to the teacher drone on about things. He’s the type of person that craves everyday to be out and about, and even when he is out there, he keeps wanting more, and more, until he doesn’t feel like he’s in his own body. At night, Keith would travel to the outskirts of town, away from the lights and into the darkness, and he would just sit on the hood of his car and watch. He would watch the stars, and search for constellations, and make ridiculous wishes upon any shooting stars. The silence that would swamp over him was so serene and gorgeous that most times he would stay there until the sun would rise, or until Shiro would call him telling him to come home. He loved being alone and being his own person, and on some days when he was feeling particularly wistful or sad, Keith would lay back and whisper all of his secrets into the night air. He’d shed a tear or two, he’d laugh at some memories, and he’d leisure blissfully until he would have to leave, and every time he would promise the night sky he would return. Keith Kogane was a nostalgic man, but he had a tendency to hide it so that he wouldn’t be taken advantage of.

Now as he entered the class, he couldn’t help but grimace as his eyes swept over the amount of people that were in it. He was hoping his astronomy class would be a bit more empty, but the room was jam packed, and for a split second he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to find a seat that was good enough to accommodate him and the snowboard that he had tucked under his arm, his snowboard boots already tucked into a large duffel along with his clothes. He ignored the looks of disdain that he got when he made his way through clusters of people, and dropped his things into a seat next to his without much care. He sat down, tucking a pen behind his ear, knowing full well that he wouldn’t need it but preparing himself anyway. His chin rested in his hand, and his gaze wandered as the teacher, Professor Ray, called off names. He knew the professor for a while now, so he didn’t need to pay attention to what she was saying. Like a majority of his teachers that knew him because of Shiro, she would skim his name with a smile, mutter something about being the prodigy’s brother, and continue on. Keith would receive some shifty glances, be recognised as one of the snowboarders from the Blades of Marmora, and he’d settle into being mostly a loner for a majority of the time unless a group project was assigned. It was a cycle that he was used to, and he liked it as well. This cycle meant he’d have time with himself, and that’s all he ever really asked for.

By the time the class was over, with a majority of the students asleep, Keith gathered his things and was about to head out the door when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He tensed up slightly, but whirled around to face the person, smiling slightly. He had to look up to his annoyance, and was face to face with a posh looking guy who had stark white hair, similar to Allura’s. His skin was slightly pale, and there was a weirdly shaped purple scar under his right eye, also similar to Allura’s pink birthmark under her left. A lock of white hair fell in his eyes and he blew it away impatiently. The stars of constellations were slightly visible through his thin, dark purple shirt.

“You’re Keith, right?” The man had a faint British accent and a regal look in his eyes. Keith felt immediate disdain towards him, but brushed it aside.

“Who’s asking?” Keith crossed his arms, trying his best to looking intimidating, but probably failing.

“I’m Lotor. a transfer. I was thinking about joining the snowboarding team and the majority of the people I asked directed me to you. How do I join?”

Keith was taken aback slightly, the tension in his body leaving him, and he shrugged.

“I’m the right hand of the team, but if you’re so eager to join, we’re having a meeting today at the library. You know where that is, right?”

Lotor looked pensive for a second, but then straightened out. “I’ll figure it out, thanks. See you there.” He turned away without saying goodbye, already strutting away, his walk reeking of confidence. Keith shuddered and shook his head, continuing on to his next class.

______________________________

 

Lance was tired. So, so tired. His eyes were drooping, and he knew he had bags. He’d have to maximise his facial routine until they disappeared. At least his skin was clear of acne, even if it didn’t glow as it normally did. He needed sleep, and his whole body was protesting for his bed and a nap before he had to go to the ski meeting. Thankfully, the cuban boy was blessed with only having one class on Mondays, and he was already heading to his dorm when he nearly rammed into a pole. he stumbled, losing his balance for a second before he righted himself. A snicker resonated behind him and he frowned, ready to snap at the person near him that nothing was funny about being exhausted. He turned around, hands on his hips, but his words died out on his tongue when he faced Keith. His face flushed, and he scowled at the raven, not bothering to say anything. The smug yet exhausted look on Keith’s face was nearly similar to his, minus the smugness. There was nothing smug about the ever so graceful Lance running into poles. That’s just not how it works.

“You okay there, frat boy?” Keith’s voice was playful, but thin from no rest. Lance scoffed.

“Better than what you look like, mullet,’’ He fired back, the scowl even more profound on his normally peaceful face. Keith rolled his eyes.

“Is that really the best you can do? You don’t look so well yourself.”

At this, Lance’s shoulders slumped, and he heaved out a sigh. “Last night was pretty wild. I’m going back to my dorms to nap before the first meeting of the season.” Keith nodded sympathetically.

“That’s a good idea. You could really use it.” He placed a hand on Lance’s shoulder. “Don’t oversleep, man.”

At this point, Lance was too exhausted to even say anything and simply nodded, savoring Keith’s hand for a minute before moving away. “I’ll catch you on the slopes when I’m feeling more human, Kogane.”

A laugh sounded behind him as he started to walk toward his dorm.

“Bet your ass, McClain. You’re gonna get wiped out.”

Lance shrugged off the challenge, too out of it to feel the scribbling on his shoulder blade. As he reached his dorm, he fumbled with his keys, dropping them promptly. Before he could get them back though, the door swung open and there stood a tall, ridiculously curvy girl. Her thick hair was up in two buns, and large hoop earrings brushed the sides of her face. Her expression was warm, and her skin was a soft latte color. Lance felt himself brighten just from looking at her as he scooped down to get his keys.

“Hi there. What are you doing in my dorm?” He raised an eyebrow, still grinning at her. The brunette laughed softly.

“I was visiting Hunk. I’m Shay, you must be.. Lance?” She stretched out her hand, and Lance shook it eagerly.

“I’ve heard about you! Hunk never stops talking about you, he says you’re really amazing and shit. I’m so glad you’re here!” The Cuban boy was practically bouncing, already fantasising ways to embarrass his best friend, giddy at the simple thought. Before he could get another word in, the door to his dorm opened again, and Hunk filled the doorway, hovering over Shay’s shoulder. When his eyes fell on Lance, he paled.

“Oh no. No no no. Out. Leave, Lance. Stop manipulating my girlfriend. _Get out._ ”

Lance pouted. “C’mon man, I was gonna take a nap. I’m not leaving - we have a ski meeting later and I need to be refreshed.”

Shay stepped forward. “It’s okay, I was just leaving. I’m staying in the hotel near Goddard if you ever want to talk, Lance,” She smiled at him, already heading for the main gate out of the dorms. Lance watched Hunk’s gaze travel after her and held back a sigh of remorse.

“Bye Shay,” He called out halfheartedly, and shouldered his way into the room before Hunk had a second chance to stop him. He flopped face down on his bed, his face pressed into his cool pillow. His feet hung off the bed and he kicked his shoes off, dropping his bag on the ground unceremoniously. “‘M so tired, Hunk. Go make me some tea,” He mumbled into his pillow. He was vaguely aware of a scoff from the far right of the room, and refrained a smile when he heard shuffling in the kitchen and the sound of water running. He made a move to sit up, but every bone in his body protested, and before he could even tell Hunk to wake him up for the meeting, his eyes were closing and sleep blanketed over him.

___________________________________

 

It felt like he only slept for a minute, but when Keith was shaken awake by Shiro, it was already dark outside. With a ridiculous amount of complaining and some profanities, he and Shiro made their way to the library that was currently residing next to the dining hall. It wasn’t much of a walk there but the biting cold made it feel impossibly long, spiking more complaints from the younger, more temper mental sibling. Shiro endured all of this, knowing that his brother would be back to normal after he got a full night of sleep, and silently prayed in his head that the meeting would fly by so that he could leave Keith alone. Even Shiro had limits, no matter how tolerant or nice he was, and Keith always had a knack for pushing them. The two finally approached the low building, and walked into the large book-filled room. A long table was settle in the middle of the floor, and Shiro sat at the end of it, Keith taking his proper place at his right. He glanced around the room coolly, schooling himself to look intimidating and important as he spotted some new faces. He wasn’t surprised to see Lotor sitting two seats away, white hair pulled back into a low ponytail and a pair of shades resting on top of his head. Keith didn’t even bother to question the sun glasses - he’s seen weirder fashion choices in the academy, and seeing Lotor wearing them felt like such a normal thing. Here in the woods of Vermont, no one can question your fashion choices. Everyone was pretty eccentric between Galra and Altea, and Lance certainly fell in that category, Keith mused to himself. He straightened when Shiro cleared his throat.

“Welcome to the Blade of Marmora. Ranked first best snowboarding team in the country, and tied for first best team at snow sports. We’re glad to see new faces today, because we need more members on our team. Are there any questions before we dive into requirements?”

Keith glanced around the table and noticed Lotor lean forward.

“You said _tied_. What’s the other team?” The posh Brit tilted his head in curiosity. A muscle in Keith’s jaw jumped. Of course someone would ask that. Before Shiro could reply, Keith stood up.

“We’re tied with Altea’s ski team, Voltron. They’re the best ski team in the country, and a majority of our matches this season are going to be against them. The officials are fed up with us being tied, and everyone likes a tiebreaker, and that’s why we’re looking for new recruits. We’re going to beat them, no matter how we do it.”

At this, Shiro stood up and placed a hand of Keith’s shoulder. “No, not _no matter how we do it._ We do not play dirty. If anyone is caught cheating or fudging the game, they will be removed from the team and will face serious consequences, not to mention they’ll be a disgrace to the school. We’re the school’s pride and joy. Do not ruin that.”

Murmurs filled the room as people glanced between the two brothers, different in personality but so, so similar in authority. Matt, who was residing on Shiro’s left, stood up as well, slamming his fist down on the wooden table. The whispering stopped, and all eyes turned on him.

“Enough. Let’s get on with this. Some of us have homework, and I’m sure a majority of you want to sleep. For the looks of it, most of you were at last night’s rave.” This initiated a wave of nods across the table. Shiro, Keith and Matt simultaneously sat down, and the meeting proceeded as they went over requirements. Keith couldn’t help but notice the look of amusement of Lotor’s face, and refrained from rolling his eyes as he focused on answering any questions that were being tossed around.

______________________________

Lance despised being woken up while he was having a deliciously good nap, but he didn’t bother complaining because Hunk was nice enough to wake him up an hour before the meeting to get his act together. After eating a slice of pumpkin cheesecake and downing a steaming cup of tea, he freshened up his face, thanking Allura for suggesting that he should nap before the ski meeting. Already his complexion was thanking him, and the bags under his eyes weren’t as prominent as they were earlier. He just needed some more sleep and he’ll be brand new. Feeling more awake by the second, he and Hunk put on their team sweatshirts and headed out to the Altean cafe that currently said closed, the lights inside lowered to a dim. From the distance, Lance could vaguely make out people in there, and brightened at the idea of making new friends. He had a feeling this season was going to be the best one yet, and he walked faster to the coffee shop, his eagerness increasing with each step. He burst through the door and right away he took a seat at the head of the table, his position as captain secured. Even though he technically wasn’t old enough to be captain of the team, the school made exceptions because of how good a boy raised in hot temperatures was at a snow sport. Pidge was sitting at his right, Allura at his left, and Hunk was already talking to someone at the other end of the table. Warm cups of hot chocolate and pastries were scattered on the table and Lance grabbed a cup before he began his introductions. He glanced at Pidge and nodded, giving her the signal to do her thing that usually quieted the people down. The small girl stood up, cleared her throat lightly, and let out an owl call so similar to the actual animal that Lance himself shivered. He would never get used to her methods but they always seemed to work so he never bothered to stop them. The table immediately fell to a hush, all eyes focusing on him. Lance flashed a bright grin.

“Hey gang, it’s great to see all of you. From the looks of it, we’ll have to order more team merchandise, but that’s not the topic right now. Welcome to Voltron! Best ski team you’ll ever meet, and best snow sport team in the country!” He hesitated for a second. “Well, tied for first, but we’ll break that tie this season.” He scanned the room again. “We’ll make today’s meeting nice and simple, because last night’s rave was pretty chaotic, right?” He winked. “I’m Lance, captain of this team, and to my right is Pidge Holt, my right hand woman. To my left is Ms. Allura, as some of you might recognise her to be the dean’s daughter.” He didn’t hesitate to catch the impressed looks in the room. Pidge was known to be the school genius along with Hunk and Allura was known for her kind heart.

Lance continued with his mini speech. “On this team, we expect the best of the best. We train five times a week, for four hours, and we have meetings twice a week in here at exactly six. If you come late, you’ll be put on probation. Sorry guys, but we take this team seriously, and if you feel like you won’t be able to stay in time with us, you might as well leave now.”

At this, Allura straightened, a fierce look in her eyes, and Hunk cleared his throat. The room was silent, and no one moved. Lance waited another moment and then clapped his hands.

“Great! Then we won’t have any problems. Now, any questions about this season?”

A warm looking girl at the far end of the table raised her hand tentatively. Lance nodded in her direction.

“How are we going to break the tie with the Blade?” She squeaked, and Lance smiled at her reassuringly.

“The sports officials have been complaining about the tie lately, and after a debate with both teams, it was decided that most of the matches this season are going to be Voltron on the Blade. That’s why we added more practice hours this season. We’re desperate to break the tie and secure our position.” Lance took a sip of his hot chocolate. “If you guys stick around long enough, you’ll see that we’re not that competitive. We normally only train two times a week and maybe one hour during the weekends, but because we’re competing with Galra, we wanted to up our game.”

Pidge coughed at this. “More like _you_ wanted to up our game. You really want to beat the Blade.” She turned towards the crowd. “Lance has this idea in his head that we’re rivals with the Galra, even though we’re sister schools. It’s ridiculous, but his fervor does get us to high places, so we just go along with it.” She shrugged. Lance’s face flushed, and he turned away.

“Shut up, Pidge. Let me have my fun.” The small girl raised her hands defensively. 

“I was never planning on stopping you, I was just informing our rookies on what they’re getting themselves into. It’s up to them if they want to go through with all this.”

Lance rolled his eyes. “Trust me, we’re a good team. It’ll all be worth it in the end. And who doesn’t want to be VIP in the school?”

The mutters of agreement that filled the room informed him that the victory was his.

______________________________

 

Stumbling to his dorm at the lovely hour of ten, Keith crashed into his bed with a loud creak and a groan of relief. He struggled out of his clothes and squirmed under his covers, his body accepting the cool blankets gratefully. He reached up and brushed his fingers over his constellation, tracing the raised lines with sleepy wonder. He was vaguely aware of Shiro coming into the dorm, and buried deeper into his heavy blankets. Shuffling filled the room and a sigh of relief almost identical to his groan resonated in the small room. There was some slight movement and the lights flickered off. After a moment Keith opened his mouth.

“The meeting went well, don’t you think? We have a lot of new people ready to join us.”

There was a mumble of agreement from the other side of the room. “Yeah, I’m looking forward to this season. It’s going to be our best one yet. But Keith-” From Shiro’s tone of voice, Keith knew he was about to get his ass chewed. “-You didn’t have to burst out like that. The team is going to think you’re out of control now. You need to handle your temper.”

Keith sighed. “I’m sorry. You know I get competitive when it comes to Voltron. They’re always mocking us and leading us on, I hate it.”

There was a brief moment of silence.

“Keith, that’s all Lance. Just because you’re angry about your crush on him, doesn’t mean you have to go off on the whole team about it. Just torture him, I dunno.” Shiro’s words were starting to become mushy, and Keith knew he was beginning to nod off. He stifled a yawn himself, stretching out his legs and curling his toes.

“I don’t like him. He’s arrogant, stuck up, rude, obnoxious, and smug. He’s an asshole, the epitome of a frat boy!” Keith’s voice raised slightly at the last bit, and Shiro groaned.

“Quiet down, I’m trying to relax.”

“Sorry.”

Shiro took a deep breath, and his exhale filled the silent room. “Just accept the fact that you like him. It’s not like saying it out loud is going to poison you. Stop being in denial.”

Keith groaned. “I’m not admitting to anything.”

“Do it.”

“No.”

“Do. it.”

“No, Shiro.”

“Keith. _Just say it._ ”

" _Fine._ ”

The raven took a deep breath.

“I like Lance.”

Silenced followed, and a muffled giggle followed the silence. “Are you dead yet?” Shiro asked, and Keith snorted.

“Sadly, no.”

“Good. ‘Night little brother.”

“Good night, Shiro.”

Keith turned on his side and closed his eyes, smiling lightly. He felt giddy and relieved to say it out loud, although he’d never admit to it. He hugged his pillow and nestled deeper into his soft mattress, letting sleep wash over him.

______________________________

 

Lance was already in bed by the time Hunk came through the door, his arms carrying multiple brown paper bags and one hand trembling slightly from his grip on a cup carrier that currently had to steaming cups residing in it. Lance immediately got up and grabbed half of the things from Hunk, relieving him of his load as he sat in the center of his bed with his legs crossed under him and his overnight facemask drying on his skin. Hunk wordlessly dropped the remaining bags in Lance’s lap and made his way to the bathroom, the shower running as he took a quick shower before bed. Lance opened one of the bags and pulled out a cupcake, and he grinned, knowing it was his reward for being a collected captain during their team meeting today. By the time Hunk was already out of the shower, Lance had gone through all the bags, picking out things he knew were meant for him.

“Man oh man, Hunk, these are great,” He mumbled through a mouthful. Hunk nodded as he pulled on a t-shirt and yellow pajama pants.

“Oh, I know. You never cease to tell me that.” Hunk sat on the floor next to Lance’s bed and pulled some chocolate strawberries out. “They are pretty good, right? Mom’s recipes really pay off with the coffee shop and all. I don’t think they’ve ever had so many people coming in everyday.” Hunk yawned. “Forget my food though. Lance, you did really well during the meeting. You might’ve been too energetic and eager to destroy our opponents, but you were great!” Hunk grinned at the boy that was blissing out on his bed.

“I couldn’t help it. I wanted to give them a reason to be good, y’know? I’m just happy we have so many new people joining us. We could really use the recruitment.” Lance raised a hand and rubbed his shoulder, and his fingers grazed his constellations. He froze, and swallowed.

“Hey, Hunk, I have to tell you something.”

His best friend set down his food and drink and looked up, waiting patiently. Lance took a deep breath and pulled off his shirt, turning to show him the constellation that covered a portion of his shoulder.

“I woke up with it,” He hurried to explain. “But I was so drunk last night that I can’t remember who I was with and it’s been bothering me all day.” He looked at Hunk with a pleading look in his eyes. “Do you have any clue who it was?”

The sympathetic look on his friend’s face silenced his questions and he sighed.

“I just want to find my soulmate. Is it too much to ask for?” Lance pulled his shirt back on slowly, his food long forgotten. He gathered everything on his bed together and set it on the floor. Hunk got up as well and made his way to his own bed.

“Look, Lance, you’ll find out sooner or later. It must be someone close to you if you got such a clear constellation in one day. You don’t need to worry your pretty little head off about it."

Lance sighed and crawled under his blankets. “You’re right. Maybe I’m just blowing all of this out of proportion.”

Hunk smiled at his best bud reassuringly. “Of course, Lance. You’ll get through this. Besides, we have more important things to focus on now. This should be the least of your worries.” 

Lance leaned to his right and flicked the light switch, plunging the room into darkness.

“Yeah. I have the team and school to worry about. Good night, Hunk.”

“Sleep well, buddy.”

The room was filled silence and Lance’s worry-clouded mind cleared slightly. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, falling asleep the second his head touched the pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW THIS FIC IS AT 10K!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> i honestly hope y'all enjoyed this chapter because i labored through it since i was so busy 
> 
> i have a resolution that if i don't post chapters at the normal time (weekends) then i'll make them extra long so yeah if you actually like my fic, you're welcome??
> 
> guys if any of you are digital artists, i'll accept some requests and include it in my fic to give it some color so just email me thecyanmachine@gmail.com if you're up for the task!!


	4. Nostalgia and Half Hour Road Trips

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi kids i'm back
> 
> this chapter is dedicated to the illustrious @Leonardo_Charles_BlueWood_69 for the motivation and love in the comments!

_Chaotic school weeks are something that college students try desperately to avoid but never really succeed in doing_ , Keith mused to himself as he made his way to a shabby building on the other end of campus, his Rolleiflex camera pressed preciously to his chest with one hand, and his other clutching his worn out book bag that was slung over one shoulder in a careless manner. His raven hair was awry, violet-grey eyes filled with an energetic, wild look as he scanned his ID unceremoniously. He pushed the door open with his shoulder, nearly falling apart as he made his way to the school’s darkroom. His astronomy classes involved doing things like using a large telescope to take pictures of the sky, and he found it convenient that his favorite quiet place had the benefits of being untouched by the sky-polluting city lights. He had spent a majority of his night out in his spot, food scattered on the hood of his borrowed car, a half empty canister of water (or possibly alcohol) lying on the driver’s seat. The telescope would be perched right near the headlights of the vehicle, and he would poise his camera right at the eyepiece, twisting the front of the lens to focus on the sight that speckled the sky. His knowledge on astronomy was fair, and he could make out a majority of the constellations that dotted the midnight ocean. It was a sight to behold, and it never ceased to take his breath away, never ceased to amaze him that such beauty existed. Now he had the chance to present the photos to his class, and he was so excited that he was practically bouncing on his toes as he hung up the chemical-coated photos. He knew they were spectacular - he loved the class, professor Ray was fabulous, and he knew exactly what he was doing. Keith was confident that he was passing astronomy with a breeze. His school work was starting to consume a majority of his time, and although that wasn’t a problem, it was new territory for the young Kogane. After being removed from the shabby Garrison, Keith fell into a period of time where he was certain he was a loner. He was certain there was nowhere else to go from there, but with the help of close friends and Shiro, his confidence began to renew itself, and he found himself applying to colleges. He started applying himself, dwelling into work and knowledge, and the satisfaction of knowing things was a comfort. The people he surrounded himself were supportive, and he felt like he was on the right track. So here he was, Keith Kogane, star of the snowboarding team with soaring grades in a majority of his classes. He felt like life couldn’t get any better.

And so, as the young adult went on developing his photos, a serene feeling came over him. He was content with dipping film into processing chemicals for astronomy. He was content with staying up late and studying for difficult exams. Spending nights going to raves and drinking weren’t a bad thing either, as long as he enjoyed himself and as long as it didn’t kill him the morning after. Keith was so deep in his mind of marvel that he didn’t realise someone had walked into the darkroom, probably with their own photos that were in need of developing. He had been hogging the machinery and chemicals and when the mentioned person cleared their throat behind him, all dainty and feminine, he jumped a mile high, whipping around and pointing the prongs he was using for his photos at his assailant. There stood Pidge, hair a beautiful mess with a sly grin lighting up her face, decked in a green Voltron letter-jacket and black skinny jeans. This was a common outfit for her since summer wasn’t around yet and she couldn’t hide her feminism in baggy clothes, so for now people had to put up with the fact that she actually had nice curves. Keith barely noticed this though, because he was too busy being the gayest person in Galra Academy.

“Jesus, Pidge, do you fucking mind?” He dropped the prongs promptly into the bin and wiped his hands on his dark shirt, not caring that the processor chemicals were screwing up the fabric. “Why are you in here? Shouldn’t you be in class?”

Pidge wiggles her fingers at him. “Down, boy. I’m here because Matt and dad needed my assistance in the lab.”

Keith had forgotten that Pidge migrated between the two schools. Being known for her intelligence, both schools have come to an agreement to allow Pidge to go back and forth between their tech labs. Her brother worked with Galra and her father with Altea, so the trio tended to migrate once in a while.

“Right. Another project?”

Pidge shook her head, her choppy hair swishing. It used to be boyishly short, but now it was growing out and almost past her shoulders. “Old project. Project _Rrrrover_.” The excitement in her voice wasn’t contained when she rolled her R. “Altea and Galra want us to create drones. Drones, _Keith,_ isn’t that exciting? Soon I’m gonna be updating Shiro’s prosthetic too. He’s gonna love me forever when I do.” The smug look on her face did it for Keith, and he chuckled.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself with your shit, but don’t blow anything up, please. Professor Albott really won’t be happy.”

This statement tugged a laugh out of Pidge, and she nudged him with her hip playfully. Keith could feel the warmth radiating off the sweet eighteen year-old, and briefly thought about how lucky her soulmate is to know her. He knew he was, just from being her friend.

“I don’t think she’ll mind. Albott likes when I visit.”

Keith lifted a shoulder in nonchalance, rubbing his nose with his wrist to avoid getting chemicals near his orifices. He wrinkled his forehead at the putrid smell and refrained from gagging. He wasn’t about to let some photography chemicals get to him on such a good day. He noticed Pidge watching him intently, and the raven refrained from laughing when she reached up and rubbed the creases in his forehead. “You’re gonna end up like my dad, all wrinkly and old from all your frowning and squinting and such. Loosen up, _Keefy._ ” Pidge grinned coyly, knowing she hit a sore spot by calling him his least favorite nickname. The said boy groaned.

“Shut up, _Katie-Kat,_ ” he snarked, grinning victoriously at the groan unlike his that elicited from the shorter girl.

“Leave and never come back, please. You’re killing me.”

“You started it!”

“Did not.”

“Did too!”

“Diiiiid not,” Pidge sang. Keith nudged her with his shoulder.

“You’re distracting me from doing my homework. My professor is going to hang me if it’s not done.”

At this, the Holt smiled. “I’m glad you’re committing. I hope it lasts.” She leaned back from Keith and stretched. “Alright, I gotta go meet up with your brother. He wants me to talk to me about something.”

Keith ruffled her hair. “He’s probably sad and wants a hug from his favourite Holt.”

Pidge wrinkled her nose, yanking away from him. “We all know that’s Matt. I think. I don’t know.”

Keith quirked his mouth to the side. “Maybe, maybe not. Now get out. I think I overdeveloped the photos. If they’re fucked up, I’m blaming you.”

_________________________

Lance despised having to find old-timey criminals and profiling them, but he had to admit that his Professor, Andera, was amazing. She was considerate, caring, and never ceased to help the Cuban boy when he really needed it. She did tend to go on tangent about profiling, and he often wondered why she didn’t just become a profiler for the feds, but it didn’t matter. His grades were fair, his life was going the way he wanted, and he was completely satisfied. Sure, here and there some things got in the way, but he was fine with it. It was made up for at the end, so he didn’t care. And here he sat by the indoor Altean pool, feet in the warm water and laptop precariously balanced in his lap, silently hoping it wouldn’t tip into the water while he browned old newspapers and jotted down ideas for his Criminology homework.

The pool was empty, as usual, and Lance moved his feet through the water, his toes causing ripples in the still water. He felt wistful as he thought about Cuba and how the beach was chilly but the warmth of the sun made up for it. He missed family dinners with his nieces and nephews running around him, shrieking for attention. All this thinking made him faze out for a minute, and his computer would’ve fallen into the water if it weren’t for the agile dark hands that snatched it and closed it. Lance blinked and looked up at his saviour. Allura’s ever stunning face smiled down at him, and he moved over wordlessly, making space for girl.

“Hey, Princess,” he muttered in greeting, his legs stilling in the water. Allura didn’t reply but continued to watch him, studying his expression. After a minute or two, she placed a hand on his shoulder.

“When I was little, my father would take me to this field near our house that had these gorgeous flowers everywhere. The smell was the most intoxicating thing ever, and we would spend hours there, laying in those flowers and sleeping under the sun.” The older girl hesitated. “He’s so busy keeping this school intact, I don’t even have the time to say good morning to him anymore. Lance, don’t let the nostalgia of things get to you. You are brilliant, and you will see your family soon, I promise.”

Lance’s eyes were now seemingly burning a hole into the pool, his stare so intense that it unnerved Allura.

“Thanks, ‘Lura…”

She got up and ruffled his unruly hair, her fingers soft and gentle as she pushed them through his chestnut locks.

“We have our first practice today, don’t forget. I’ll see you there.” She left the spacious room, the metal doors swishing behind her as she moved on with her day. The sigh that came out of the Cuban boy was one of relief and relaxation, as if a burden on his shoulders has been lifted. In a way, it has been. He completely forgot about his soulmate situation, his mind and determination now set on making today’s practice the best one of the season. His computer and Criminology work were long forgotten as well, and his whole body buzzed with excitement as he got up and shoved his computer and papers into his bag. He wanted to get out of the building and run to the coffee shop, indulge in some pumpkin cheesecake, and then take a power nap before practice. All was going swell until he realised that his skis were still in his storage cubicle, which was a good half hour drive away. Lance didn’t even have a fucking car. He always relied on his friends to take him places. Alas, Hunk was busy, Pidge was being a nerd, Allura had work, and he couldn’t really think of anyone else that would be able to drive him. With a now spoiled mood and a cloud of dejection passing over him, he shuffled his feet with slumped shoulders to Altea Cafe.

The quaint coffee shop was empty with people going to classes except for a few older students, and Lance took a seat in the back booth, pulling himself into the corner in hopes that he won’t be seen by anyone. His mood was spoiled and he wasn’t ready to be the normal social butterfly he is, so he pulled his hood up and ruffled his hair so that his bangs could fall in his eyes. At this point he didn’t have the strength to get up and get that cheesecake that he’s been craving. He didn’t have the strength to do anything, at this point. He folded his arms on the table and put his head down, feeling slightly like a moody high schooler in doing so.

The cup of coffee that was in front of him went neglected, and Lance was dimly aware of a presence over his shoulder. He tilted his head back, catching a glimpse of dark raven hair and stone-grey eyes. _Keith._ Lance scrambled to yank of his hood so that he could project his already developing scowl at the tall boy. Keith was clearly not having it, and plopped himself in the seat across from Lance’s. It was evident that he also had nothing to do, and for a split second Lance dreaded that he was going to have to put up with his snowboarding rival until one of his friends managed to free up.

That’s when he remembered. Keith had a car.

_________________________

Keith couldn’t exactly remember how he got into this situation. He couldn’t help but feel mildly infuriated, although the largest contribution to his anger was the fact that Lance was bouncing in the passenger seat, his phone connected to Keith’s aux cord, ABBA blasting from the speakers.

Keith hated ABBA.

No, scratch that, he thought ABBA was okay. But after ten minutes of having one song on repeat (Lance was obsessed with Dancing Queen) his head was starting to pound. He reached over to turn down the volume when Lance slapped his hand away.

It took all of Keith’s strength not to growl.

“Relax, Kogane. Let the joyous sounds of ABBA wash over you and take away your anger,” Lance crooned from his side of the car, eliciting a rather fierce eye-roll from the driver.

“Lance, ABBA is the _reason_ why I’m angry. You’ve had this god damn song on repeat ever since we got on the road. If you’re going to be a radio hog, at least play something that I can enjoy before I kick you out?” Keith’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, and his knuckles turned white. The Cuban boy next to him merely laughed lightly and patted his arm.

“Just one more round? Pretty please?”

Keith felt a pang in his chest and clenched his teeth, glad that his hair was long enough to cover his reddening ears. For some reason, Lance’s hand on his arm sent jolts down his spine, even if the contact was only from a brief moment. His whining tone only contributed to the feelings.

“Fine. But then I call the songs.”

Lance nodded earnestly. “Why of course, you are the driver after all.”

Keith shook his head and bit his lower lip, desperately trying to prevent a small smile from making an appearance.

_________________________

A half hour of driving to a storage facility shouldn’t have been tiring, but Lance was overjoyed when he hopped out of Keith’s worn out Corolla, shaking out his lanky limbs and stretching his arms up until something popped in his back. He grinned to himself, swinging his locker keys in one hand and running his fingers through his hair with the other, making his already slightly chaotic look a little more wild. He wanted to get this over with, wanted to enjoy another half hour with his “enemy”, and most definitely wanted some fucking cheesecake. Maybe Keith would be willing to split a slice…

He didn’t bother asking, merely bounded up the stairs to the squat building and wasted no time finding his small space. It took him a minute with the key (the lock was always stuck) and another minute to open the door (he didn’t open it, Keith shouldered it.)

“Welcome to mi casa,” Lance announced, sweeping his arms in a grand motion. Keith made a face as he took in the thin layer of dust that covered everything - old textbooks, summer clothes, and miscellaneous furniture, for some strange reason. Lanced quickly caught his expression and pouted. “It’s a storage space, it’s supposed to be cluttered,” he defended. This pulled a small laugh from the raven boy.

“Alright, whatever. Get your shit and let’s go, I’m starting to freeze. You’d think there’d be some sort of heat here. This place feels like a meat locker.” To emphasize his point, Keith shuddered and wrapped his arms around himself tightly. Lance moved closer to him, feeling awkward and uncertain as to how to be helpful in the situation. As he reached for his skis, the singular lightbulb that hung overhead flickered, and then went out. His skis clattered to the floor, Lance falling over with them.

All that was heard for a couple minutes was shuffling and painful grunts, until Lance managed to pull his phone out and turn on the flashlight. Keith hadn’t moved a muscle, but merely stood there, watching him.

“Thanks for the assistance,” the tan boy scowled. He got a shrug in reply.

As Lance locked up quickly, balancing his skis on his shoulder precariously, Keith snuck a glance at him. He was all limbs, all edge, and slightly slouchy, making him seem less tall. He averted his gaze quickly when Lance looked up.

“Can you at least grab my poles?” He whined. “I forgot how heavy these skis are, please, Keith.”

The dark boy made a face but didn’t argue, grabbing the black poles in one hand as he fished for his car keys with the other.

“I hope there’s space for all your shit in my car, McClain. I don’t feel like rearranging things just so that you can fit stuff.”

Lance ignored the comment, sliding his skis and poles into the backseat of Keith’s car. His expression was victorious when he finally clambered into the passenger seat again, and Keith rolled his eyes once more.

“Wipe that idiotic expression off your face and turn on some AC/DC, would you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one's a short one, i'm sorry, but hopefully once i've got my act together, i'll be giving y'all longer chapters. it's been a while, i know, please don't hate me! if you wanna chat or be friends or something, my twitter is @drawiingpins, you can catch me there! i also need an editor soooo if you're good at writing then lmk!! 
> 
> feel free to leave comments they motivate me ;)


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